The present invention relates to image projection apparatus and, more particularly, to image projection apparatus which includes a two-way mirror and means for selectively projecting one of a plurality of colors through the mirror and onto the eyes of a person viewing him/herself in the mirror. The invention has utility in that the color projected through the mirror may be focused onto just the iris portions of the person's eyes so that the person may see what they look like with an eye color different from their natural eye color. The invention is thus especially useful in the colored contact lens business.
Colored contact lenses (of both prescription and non-prescription types) which alter the natural color of a person's eyes have seen increasing popularity in recent years. Since customers understandably want to see what they look like with different colored eyes prior to purchasing these types of lenses, clinicians heretofore needed to carry try-on sets of such lenses for their customers to place on their eyes and make their selection amongst the different colored lenses available. Due to sanitary and regulatory concerns, the try-on sets are disposed of immediately following a single customer's try-on of the lenses. Since a single customer can go through potentially the full array of colored try-on lenses available at a single visit, the cost of providing try-on lenses to all customers can be considerable.
There thus exists a need for a relatively inexpensive, easy and quick method by which a colored contact lens customer can realistically visualize him/herself with different colored eyes as an aid to the colored lens selection process.